Vanguard // Powertechs Top 3 Answers!

[Ottoattack]

Hey everyone,

 

I just wanted y'all to know we are reading and putting together feedback from this thread. You are definitely not being ignored because of the thread's page count. I will be working with the combat team today to get responses for y'all and the Sorcerers today.

 

Thank you

[Chickensevil]

Admittedly, I had been playing Pyro from beta through 2.0, and then the nerf tidal wave came and I was forced to switch classes, and no longer have a geared Pyro to test out the PTS properly. Is there any chance the PTS can get a special vendor to allow me access to all the new gear?

 

You can try mass copying the same character over who actually has comms to buy the gear, and then consolidating it down onto your PT. I know a lot of people have been doing that in order to test for PVP.

[DOHboy]

You can take the girl out of Georgia, but you can't take Georgia out of the girl.

 

If we had more southern hospitality in this forum maybe things wouldn't inflame quite so fast. And personally, a bit of personality and personal interaction goes a lot farther than professional Politically Correct canned answer's.

[Fellow-Canadian]

I'm glad the reaction from the community has not gone unnoticed, but you're going back for more answers to the same people who backhanded so many in one sweeping motion. I am not hopeful for any meaningful responses, but would love to be proven wrong.

[CourtneyWoods]

Hey everyone,

 

I spoke with the combat team about your concerns and they are going to make some changes to Vanguards and Powertechs. Please check out the more detailed response below, including Patch Notes, on the changes. Please keep in mind, these Patch Notes are subject change.

 

 

We have been keeping a close eye on the PTS forums and the responses to the Vanguard/Powertech Top 3 thread, and we will be making some further changes to Bounty Hunters/Troopers due to some of the feedback that has been given.

 

We received some feedback about being executable while Adrenaline Rush/Kolto Overload is active, so we have decided to change the health threshold trigger for Adrenaline Rush/Kolto Overload to 35% (up from 30%), moving it outside of execute range. Adrenaline Rush/Kolto Overload is not intended to make you immune to damage or death; however, this change should make Bounty Hunters and Troopers a significantly less attractive target while Adrenaline Rush/Kolto Overload is active. This change is directed at boosting the survivability of all four Bounty Hunter and Trooper advanced classes.

 

It was also mentioned that we might be stealthily trying to nerf the Assault Specialist’s/Pyrotech’s ability to slow by unlinking Sweltering Heat from Plasma Cell/Combustible Gas Cylinder. That was not our intention, and we will make it so that Explosive Surge/Flame Sweep also triggers the slow effect from Sweltering Heat.

 

We also received plenty of feedback that Assault Specialists/Pyrotechs have very low survivability and that Degauss is just an inferior version of Hold the Line/Hydraulic Overrides. In response, we will be changing Degauss to grant 12.5/25% defense chance for 6 seconds when Diversion/Chaff Flare is activated. We will also boost the Adrenaline Fueled/Automated Defenses skill by adding 15/30% damage reduction while Adrenaline Rush/Kolto Overload is active – making the ability even more effective for Assault Specialist/Pyrotech Vanguards/Powertechs.

 

All of these changes should make it onto the PTS in an upcoming build, so feel free to try them out at your convenience.

 

Patch Notes:

 

Bounty Hunter

• Kolto Overload now triggers at 35% health and may heal up to 35% of max health (both up from 30%).
  

 

Powertech

Shield Tech

• Coolant now allows Kolto Overload to heal you beyond 35% health (up from 30%).
  

 

Pyrotech

• The slow caused by the Sweltering Heat skill may now also be triggered by Flame Sweep.
  
• Degauss has been redesigned: Activating Chaff Flare increases your defense chance by 12.5/25% for 6 seconds.
  
• In addition to its previous functionality, Automated Defenses now also increases damage reduction by 15/30% while Kolto Overload is active.
  

 

Mercenary

Pyrotech

• Degauss has been redesigned: Activating Chaff Flare increases your defense chance by 12.5/25% for 6 seconds.
  

 

Trooper

• Adrenaline Rush now triggers at 35% health and may heal up to 35% of max health (both up from 30%).
  

 

Vanguard

Shield Specialist

• Soldier's Grit now allows Adrenaline Rush to heal you beyond 35% health (up from 30%).
  

 

Assault Specialist

• The slow caused by the Sweltering Heat skill may now also be triggered by Explosive Surge.
  
• Degauss has been redesigned: Activating Diversion increases your defense chance by 12.5/25% for 6 seconds.
  
• In addition to its previous functionality, Adrenaline Fueled now also increases damage reduction by 15/30% while Adrenaline Rush is active.
  

 

Commando

Assault Specialist

• Degauss has been redesigned: Activating Diversion increases your defense chance by 12.5/25% for 6 seconds.
  

[Ottoattack]

This goes a long way in improving defensive capabilities of VG/PT. It still did not resolve the damage output for pyro/tactics, but its a start. Edited August 27, 2013 by Ottoattack

[TUXs]

I like it...

[Dedrayge]

This goes a long way in improving defensive capabilities of VG/PT. It still did not resolve the damage output for pyro/tactics, but its a start.

 

Good thing they allowed for testing almost two months ahead of time.

 

And...the devs listened...How many people just **** their pants?

[TUXs]

And...the devs listened...How many people just **** their pants?

 

/raises hand

[Luxidenstore]

Not bad, I must say. Will have to try it out, but it looks pretty good in theory tbh.

 

However, I'd like to know if it's intended that full Pyro/Assault is one of the lowest parsing specs in the game?

 

EDIT: I still don't like the change to Ionized Ignition on the PTS, since we can't trigger the slow from hammer shot. But it seems dead set, so I'll have to deal with it.

 

 

And...the devs listened...How many people just **** their pants?

 

I did. Then I changed pants and did it again.

Edited August 27, 2013 by Luxidenstore

[Winguardian]

Hmm, definately going to make me give assault spec another try on the PTS then.

[iamthehoyden]

Thank you for listening and actually acting on the feedback. Doesn't solve the dps issues, but it's a start.

[TUXs]

Thank you for listening and actually acting on the feedback. Doesn't solve the dps issues, but it's a start.

 

I haven't tested this on PTS myself yet either, but I would imagine that these changes are in addition to those (which do boost DPS). Or did you already factor those changes in?

[iamthehoyden]

I haven't tested this on PTS myself yet either, but I would imagine that these changes are in addition to those (which do boost DPS). Or did you already factor those changes in?

As far as I know CGC is still bugged on PTS so I don't have hard numbers from tests. The numbers people have been crunching don't appear to add up to a significant increase, however. Won't know for sure till the bug is fixed, but it doesn't look like it's going to be enough.

 

Edit: I should add, from a pve perspective. For pvp, this survivability might be sufficient. I don't pvp regularly, so I couldn't say on that front.

Edited August 27, 2013 by iamthehoyden

[Keypek]

As far as I know CGC is still bugged on PTS so I don't have hard numbers from tests. The numbers people have been crunching don't appear to add up to a significant increase, however. Won't know for sure till the bug is fixed, but it doesn't look like it's going to be enough.

 

Edit: I should add, from a pve perspective. For pvp, this survivability might be sufficient. I don't pvp regularly, so I couldn't say on that front.

 

Wait CGC is bugged? Is plasma cell bugged for trooper also and in what way?

 

The new changes do make those last few spec points in assault not seem so worthless when going for assault plastique so that is nice. So kudos to that which will help in regular pvp. Probably doesn't make them viable in ranked but it's a start. And doesn't help their lackluster pve damage over time. But would like to know more about this bug since I was parsing on pts the other day and didn't know about it.

[JMagee]

Really appreciate the attention the devs have been giving this, and really do think the changes are well thought out and will certainly help with survivability issues.

 

But, I'm still cynical about these changes from a PvE perspective. They seem that they will greatly enhance survivability from a PvP standpoint, but I don't know how much more survivability in Assault (degauss and adrenaline rush) I need, especially at the expense of more DPS.

 

I know a dead DPS does no DPS, but part of me feels that these changes are a little bit of a polite suggestion that perhaps full Assault should be the PvP spec, and Tactics the new PvE spec.

 

I'll have to mull it over some more

[iamthehoyden]

Wait CGC is bugged? Is plasma cell bugged for trooper also and in what way?

Last report I saw was that CGC and plasma cell were bugged on the PTS. It's fine on the live servers...well, fine in the sense that it's working. http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=674006

[XyriusSES]

Still needs a few damage tweaks, but change is good.

[mfourcustom]

Doesn't solve the Burst/DPS problems assault spec vanguards/powertechs are having even on the pts build of the game but its a start.

 

Thank you.

[Fellow-Canadian]

The changes are a good start, however Assault damage output needs to be on par with other dps classes. Dot protection in PVP is also a need. Maybe change the assault plastique dot so that if it gets cleanses it deals the remaining damage instantly. This will make healers think twice about spamming cleanse on themselves.

[Brunner_Venda]

This may not solve burst, but it does give us the defenses to survive long enough to deliver the burst we have and cook them with dots. It also gives us a defense to use when we need to get in close to trigger RP and interrupts. (My biggest concern is the latter. Only bads don't interrupt.)

 

I'm absolutely floored.

 

And I have something to say. I apologize BW, for being such an ***.

[oaceen]

i'm especially happy about degauss.

 

 

i've always felt it was a complete waste of skill points, but i don't think many people were talking about it.

so i think it's a sign that they're looking at all of our feedback, even from some who don't talk the loudest.

Edited August 27, 2013 by oaceen

[Kuciwalker]

As a tank I am dancing with joy at the 30->35% change.

[dionmani]

Assault Plastique/Thermal Detonator (AP/TD) need the DOT removed. Remove some of the HIB/Rail Shot buffs turn them into AP/TD buffs and cause the Detination of AP/TD to trigger the CGC's DOT plus increase the damage of the CGC dot for 6 secs. This will give the VG/PT some burst but shouldn't hurt the overall power scale. Maybe also give them a group buff like lowers the targets armor buy 25% for 10sec or add a rotation move into the it like Next rail shot does 10% additional damage for x secs.

 

Or give a stacking buff that will cause the next AP/TD to cause more damage.

 

Too little to late for this but its my two cents.

[Davionix]

Hey everyone,

Patch Notes:

Trooper

• Adrenaline Rush now triggers at 35% health and may heal up to 35% of max health (both up from 30%).
  

 

Vanguard

Shield Specialist

• Soldier's Grit now allows Adrenaline Rush to heal you beyond 35% health (up from 30%).
  

 

Assault Specialist

• The slow caused by the Sweltering Heat skill may now also be triggered by Explosive Surge.
  
• Degauss has been redesigned: Activating Diversion increases your defense chance by 12.5/25% for 6 seconds.
  
• In addition to its previous functionality, Adrenaline Fueled now also increases damage reduction by 15/30% while Adrenaline Rush is active.
  

 

Commando

Assault Specialist

• Degauss has been redesigned: Activating Diversion increases your defense chance by 12.5/25% for 6 seconds.
  

 

Thank you for taking feedback into consideration. ( I like to imagine you locked combat team into a room with parody videos looping until they caved in )

 

Survivability changes to Assault Specialist and the blanket change to Adrenaline Rush seems really nice. However I could not resist mentioning there does not seem to be any DPS oriented changes that would significantly increase sustained DPS of Assault Specialist tree .

 

It was mentioned comparison can lead to disappointment before but I want to use it to get my point across more clearly if you can bear with long text.

 

Judging by the response combat team gave to sentinel / marauder question about single dps of focus / smash spec ( explaining how they wanted to see watchman, combat and focus spec to each have different strengths and weakness to fit different roles combat team had in their minds ) and the changes to survivability but not to DPS of Assault Specialist tree I will go on and assume that maybe combat team plans Assault Specialist tree to favor PvP ( like Focus Spec for sentinels ) more while Tactics favors PvE ( like Watchman Spec for sentinels ).

 

It would really help to clear out some question marks that may be left in minds if combat team could say their reasons for not taking into consideration DPS buffs for Assault Specialist .

 

So my question hidden within this word soup is :

 

Does combat team believe Assault Specialist DPS is good at where it is or these planned increases to survivability should be seen as a trade off for more DPS ?

 

I believe it would be easier to reach a consensus on the latter case for PvP scenarios but not that much for PvE ones.

 

I am really happy with proposed survivability changes to Assault Specialist tree and have no qualms about using Tactics tree for DPS but enjoy playstyle of Assault Specialist more.

 

I just wanted to throw this out so that combat teams stance on their "perceived" roles for different specs can be displayed more clearly to compare with "perceived" roles players project to different specs. ( Unless they are dreaming of DPSing in shield specialist tree or tanking in other two Then they should be used as Cannon Fodder. )